The present invention relates to guard devices adapted to protect medical appliances attached to body openings. In particular, the present invention relates to guard devices in which braced spaced-apart cross-members extend between the side members of a U-shaped base member and upwardly from the plane of the base member to define a cavity that completely encloses the medical appliance. The present invention particularly relates to devices for the protection of ostomies having a stoma inserted therein in communication with a bag attached thereto.
Individuals having medical devices attached to openings in their body lack the confidence to participate in sports or other activities. The concern is that the appliance may detach from their body, or, even worse, on an impact or other external force may be applied to the appliance, resulting in an injurious complication. This is particularly a concern for ostomy patients who must exercise caution to prevent not only damage to their ostomy appliance, but also to their ostomy incision and the stoma inserted therein.
Shields have been designed to more comfortably secure ostomy appliances to the body, and to protect the incision and stoma from incidental contact. To date, however, there has not been devised a device that is sufficiently protective to permit ostomy patients, and wearers of other medical appliances, to have the confidence to engage in sports and activities involving even the slightest degree of exertion.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,922,763 and 2,129,054 disclose colostomy appliances having a wire support frame wherein the mouth of the colostomy bag engages the stoma at the colostomy. However, the wire frame provides no protection to the colostomy bag against impact and other external forces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,315 discloses another colostomy protection device having a semi-rigid guard covering and protecting the stoma. Again, only the stoma is protected, the colostomy bag is permitted to hang freely, and is not protected against impact and other external forces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,614 discloses a shield that provides protection to both the colostomy stoma and the colostomy bag attached thereto. The shield, however, is a rigid thin shell that does not permit expansion of the colostomy bag as it fills. The shell retains heat, promoting the rapid growth of intestinal flora in the liquids contained in the colostomy bag. Additionally, there is no access to the colostomy bag from the bottom of the shield. The shield must be removed in order to empty the colostomy bag.
There remains a need for protective devices for colostomy bags and other medical appliances attached to openings in the body, which protect the appliance and secure it to the body, and permit access to the appliance without removal of the protective device. For appliances such as ostomy bags, there is a need for these protective devices to also permit the dissipation of body heat, to expand if the bag fills, and to allow drainage of the bag without removal of the protective device.